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Refit Group companies declared bankrupt by Rio court
A Rio de Janeiro court has decreed the bankruptcy of four companies belonging to the Refit Group, converting a judicial recovery process that had been ongoing since 2015. The decision, issued by Judge Arthur Ferreira of the 5th Business Court, affects Gasdiesel Serviços, MG Distribuidora S.A., Manguinhos Química S/A, and Refinaria de Petróleos Manguinhos S/A.
The ruling follows investigations into alleged structured tax fraud and tax evasion. The judge noted that the group's business model appeared to be based on repeated tax evasion, citing various police and fiscal operations including Operação Sem Refino, Cadeia de Carbono, and Carbono Oculto. The court has ordered the freezing of all bank accounts and assets belonging to the companies, and required a list of creditors to be presented within five days.
Financial irregularities cited include a massive tax liability, with some reports estimating the group's tax debt at approximately R$ 25.7 billion. The bankruptcy request was formally moved forward by the State of Rio de Janeiro and the State Public Ministry. The group's activities had already been suspended following administrative interdiction by the National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP).
Entities
ANP · Agência Nacional do Petróleo, Gás Natural e Biocombustíveis · Arthur Eduardo Magalhães Ferreira · Arthur Ferreira · Gasdiesel Serviços Ltda. · Grupo Refit · Ministério Público do Estado do Rio de Janeiro · Refinaria de Manguinhos · Refinaria de Petróleos Manguinhos · Refinaria de Petróleos Manguinhos S/A · Ricardo Magro · Rio de Janeiro
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] The Manguinhos refinery reported zero revenue in the first quarter of 2026. cbn.globo.com
- [● 14 SOURCES] The companies must submit a list of creditors within five days. www.metro1.com.br · petronoticias.com.br · tribunadepetropolis.com.br · errejotanoticias.com.br · www.dgabc.com.br · +6 more
- [● 4 SOURCES] The ANP revoked the operating authorization for the Refit refinery. jornaldebrasilia.com.br · petronoticias.com.br · errejotanoticias.com.br · cbn.globo.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The group is suspected of tax evasion and money laundering involving approximately R$ 26 billion. www.metro1.com.br · diariodoporto.com.br
- [● 27 SOURCES] The bankruptcy affects Gasdiesel Distribuidora de Petróleo S/A, MG Distribuidora S/A, Manguinhos Química S/A, and Refinaria de Petróleos Manguinhos S/A. www.metro1.com.br · jornaldebrasilia.com.br · petronoticias.com.br · cbn.globo.com · tribunadepetropolis.com.br · +17 more
- [● 22 SOURCES] Federal Police investigations, known as Operação Sem Refino, look into alleged political favoritism involving the group. jornaldebrasilia.com.br · petronoticias.com.br · www.metro1.com.br · cbn.globo.com · tribunadepetropolis.com.br · +15 more
- [● 26 SOURCES] The judge decreed the bankruptcy of four companies belonging to Grupo Refit. www.metro1.com.br · jornaldebrasilia.com.br · petronoticias.com.br · cbn.globo.com · tribunadepetropolis.com.br · +17 more
- [● 26 SOURCES] The court ordered the freezing of all bank accounts and the unavailability of assets belonging to the companies. www.metro1.com.br · petronoticias.com.br · cbn.globo.com · tribunadepetropolis.com.br · errejotanoticias.com.br · +16 more
- [● 16 SOURCES] The Rio de Janeiro court decreed the bankruptcy of four companies belonging to the Refit Group. www.terra.com.br · tribunadepetropolis.com.br · errejotanoticias.com.br · www.dgabc.com.br · www.metro1.com.br · +8 more
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Judicial recovery filings in Brazil increased by 66% over the last three years.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Retail accounts for 21% of judicial recovery cases, followed by manufacturing at 19.6% and agribusiness at 17.5%.
- [● 22 SOURCES] The bankruptcy request for the Refit Group was filed by the State of Rio de Janeiro and the State Public Ministry. www.terra.com.br · tribunadepetropolis.com.br · errejotanoticias.com.br · www.dgabc.com.br · dev.tnonline.com.br · +15 more